5 most impressive temples in Myanmar

February – the best season to travel to Myanmar. This period moderately warm weather, which soon replaced by unbearable heat. You can not find a better time to see the main attraction of the country – its amazing temples.

Little has changed in a beautiful country with golden pagodas since ancient Burma has become a modern Myanmar. All the same as in the days of “Journey Beyond Three Seas” great Russian traveler Athanasius Nikitin far Shabat beckons travelers spectacular scenery and rich Buddhist pagodas, a mysterious past and mysterious places of ancient power.

Taung Kalat Monastery

In Burma has its enchanting Olympus – an extinct volcano, according to the Buddhists, endowed with a very strong energy. Gore, having not very sonorous Russian ear the name Popa (incidentally, in Sanskrit – a flower), long before the Buddhist era was the residence of garnets – powerful guardian spirits. Legend has it that once was a blacksmith Tagaunge U Tin Those possessing supernatural powers. Fearing his power, the king went to the meanness – lured into a trap smith sister, both he burned in a bonfire under a tree campaka. Angry spirits slain steel causing distress and relented only after the tree was transplanted to Mount Popa. Twice a year – during the holidays and the new moon is necessary Nayon – Taung Kalat Monastery, located on a mountain top, it becomes a place of pilgrimage. To one of the most remote temples in the world are 777 steps that can only be overcome barefoot. Exhaustive journey worth the effort: one of the most famous shrines in the world panorama of divine beauty. Building was built in 1785 and reconstructed after a fire in 1884.

Jumping Cat Monastery

Whole life in one of the most beautiful places in Myanmar, “Little Lake” Inle passes on the water. People live in houseboats, towering on stilts over the lake surface, engaged in farming on the floating gardens and even pray in the temples located in the middle of the pond. Getting to the most famous monastery of the region, known as “Monastery of jumping cats” can only be on the boat, and employs half a dozen monks. Not so long ago, when things in the monastery went from bad to worse, the local abbot decided to seek help from the cats, which on the shores of Inle always been a lot. A couple of years enterprising priests could outdo Kuklacheva – from wishing to witness the wonderful circus acrobats tetrapods was not rebound. Donations collected through performances tailed brethren, and income from a local gift shop is more than enough for the maintenance of the monastery and leisurely meditation without thinking about the hungry stomach.

Shwedagon Pagoda

Legend of the most famous Buddhist temple in Myanmar states: a long time ago, when the fourth Buddha was still alive, and Bhallika Tapusa brothers who traveled through India, brought home eight hairs falling from the head teachers during the sermon. To keep the relic for posterity, the king ordered Okalapa erect near the town Okkala special pagoda where to place the sacred thread vlasyanye. True legend il no, Golden Pagoda Dagon was the only temple in the world, gathered the unique relics of each of us visited the Buddha bowl Konagamany, Kassapa shirt, and hair stick Kakusandhi Gautam described in the legend. “Beautiful, shimmering, shining in the sun miracle” – literally described Shwedagon author of “Mowgli”. Throughout the world, there is hardly a temple that can surpass this pagoda in its grandeur and luxury 98-meter-high stupa is fully lined with gold leaf, and its top is decorated with thousands of jewels, 1065 golden bells and 421 silver.

Ananda Temple

History of “business cards” Bagan reads: in 1091 King Chanzitta erected a great temple, designed to serve as a model Nandamula grotto, and named it Anand. So beautiful, it appeared that the king ordered to bury alive the architect who created the Ananda, that nothing on Earth surpassed upstart miracle. Apparently, the spirit of the architect responsible approached its task for the protection of the temple from all sorts of dangers: even in difficult times sanctuary regularly repaired and maintained in order. Unique to religious buildings Asia Ananda temple built in the shape of a symmetrical cross over its central cube towering gilded tower, and only complement the image of the stupa. Fifteen hundred terracotta plates and the same deep reliefs convey scenes from the life of Buddha fourth – as sacred parables in stone can not find in any other temple in Myanmar. As guards, guarding the inner gallery Ananda hundreds of statues of the Enlightened One, each of which is unusual in its own way. Another miracle of the temple – it footprints of the Buddha, located on a pedestal in the west portal.

Mahamuni Pagoda

The most sacred place of Upper Myanmar very popular among pilgrims. Most traditional stupa was built in 1785 with the sole purpose – to become home to the ancient Buddha statues, which served as a model for himself Gautama. They say if you get up at sunrise and quickly run back to the pagoda Mahamuni, you can see how the temple servants spend her morning bath, expertly wielding cloth. 4.5-meter bronze sage, whose age is close to two millennia, during his long life has undergone an amazing metamorphosis: with gold leaf, it became precious. In an effort to clear your karma, pious parishioners statue covered with new layers of yellow metal. Perhaps a layer of gold on the Enlightened could be 16 cm, as it is today, and far beyond the 50 – yes there is discrimination. As in most sacred places of Myanmar, the Mahamuni pagoda women do not have to touch the relics, touch monks clothes and send them anything in his hands. By the way, the golden plates that serve to cover pagodas produce the central factory, located nearby.